RYE — When David Blodgett thinks about his neighbor down the road on Ocean Avenue, the name “Scott” jumps to mind before his title, “Senator Brown.”

For more than a decade, Blodgett has gotten to know Brown and his wife, Gail Huff, as the friendly couple who show up every few weeks for some recreational time on the New Hampshire coast.

When Brown entered public life in Massachusetts, gaining election as a state senator, he could still be spotted splashing around on the beach in Rye with his daughters, or riding a tandem bicycle with his wife.

In 2006, when Brown's daughter was a contestant on the television show “American Idol,” Blodgett remembers the doting father sharing her CD recordings with kids in the neighborhood.

Brown's time in New Hampshire naturally dwindled in the last two years, alongside his rapid rise in politics. But even as a U.S. senator, the Wrentham, Mass., Republican remained visible in the neighborhood, Blodgett said, visiting over the holidays and shoveling out the driveway of his home in Rye in the winter.

“He's just a neighbor to me,” Blodgett said. “He's just a regular guy who comes up and enjoys the beach.”

During the last several weeks, Brown's ties to New Hampshire have come under fresh scrutiny. His name still looms large in national politics, but Brown was ousted from office in November, losing a close race for re-election to Massachusetts Democrat Elizabeth Warren.

Since then, Brown has signed on with the Fox news channel to lend his opinion as a contributor, but some political junkies are wagering that Brown's career in office has yet to peak.

With a second home in New Hampshire, Brown is eligible to run for office in the Granite State, and that fact has fueled speculation that his next move could be a run for Senate against Democrat Jeanne Shaheen in 2014.

Brown hasn't done anything to downplay that notion. When he was asked directly by a reporter from The Associated Press, Brown refused to rule out the possibility of a run for office in New Hampshire. And he's lined up a series of appearances in the state.

Still, some political watchers say Brown is playing coy with the media in the interest of raising his political stock, rather than laying the groundwork for a campaign in New Hampshire.Brown would face an uphill battle here, according to University of New Hampshire professor Andy Smith, who said he would face the prospect of running against a popular incumbent. He would also inevitably be saddled with the label of being a carpetbagger who is seeking election in the north because he couldn't seal the deal in Massachusetts, Smith said.

“The rule of thumb in politics is that if you're explaining, you're losing,” he said. “You're not going to be able to stay on message -- your message.”

If he did try to mount a campaign in New Hampshire, Brown would enjoy the advantages of broad name recognition and deep financial backing. Brown also has legitimate ties to the state. His mother, Judy Brown, lives in Hampton, and Brown's sister resides in Portsmouth. Judy Brown declined to be interviewed for this story, and Brown's sister, LeeAnn, did not respond to a request seeking comment. His aunt, who lives in Dover, also declined a request to talk about her nephew's links to New Hampshire. Still, Smith says Brown would face an unavoidable image problem running against local candidates.

“It's not a matter of the roots,” he said. “It's a just a matter of the fact that he has to explain why he can't win in his state.”

Smith believes Brown is in a better position to let the speculation play out as long as possible to get media coverage and attention, then politely decline the call for him to enter the race. Another factor fueling the hype around Brown's potential candidacy is an absence of other Republicans jumping into the race against Shaheen. Newfields Executive Councilor Chris Sununu was briefly floated as a possible Senate candidate, but he recently took himself out of the running.

“The reason I'm not going to run is because I have no doubt there are some other very strong potential Republican candidates who can and should beat Jeanne Shaheen,” he said last week.

Sununu said he's heard recently-defeated GOP Congressman Frank Guinta's name thrown out there, as well as that of moderate businessman Bill Binnie. Speculation has also been swirling around Sen. Jeb Bradley, of Wolfeboro, as a potential 2014 contender.

“These are all good Republicans with a solid background (who) understand both the public and private sector, and I think any of them could and should be able to give Jeanne Shaheen . . . a run for her money,” Sununu said.

Sununu said Brown would “definitely have a tough time” against any local candidates versed in the state's issues.

“Right now ... I'm concentrating on the budget, on other legislation that is in front of the (state) Senate,” he said.

Bradley said Scott Brown is a friend, and he supported him when he ran in the special election in Massachusetts.

“He did a great job serving Massachusetts,” Bradley said. “It's unfortunate that he lost in 2012, because I think he's done a good job as a U.S. senator, so I'll just leave it at that.”

Asked if Shaheen is beatable in 2014, Bradley pointed out that Democratic candidates will be saddled with thorny issues like the country's $17 trillion debt, as well as high energy costs and high food prices.Democrats will also be responding to the full implementation of President Barack Obama's federal health care legislation.

“Democrats in Washington are very concerned that the roll out of Obamacare is going to be, in the words of Sen. Max Baucus, a train wreck,” Bradley said, “and that is really going to be something front and center in voters' minds.”

Click image to enlarge

Former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown's home is seen on Ocean Avenue in Rye. The Massachusetts Republican isn't ruling out the possibility of a run for office in New Hampshire.

Click image to enlarge

Former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown’s home is seen on Ocean Avenue in Rye.
The Massachusetts Republican isn’t ruling out the possibility of a run for office in New Hampshire. (AP photo)